{
  "id": 1461305,
  "title": "Israeli birdwatcher finds 30 migrating white storks dead under utility poles in Jordan Valley",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/israeli-birdwatcher-finds-30-migrating-white-storks-dead-under",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-17T10:12:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change/article-905741"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Around 30 white storks were discovered dead under power poles in the Jordan Valley on Sunday by an Israeli birdwatcher from the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI). Yotam Bashan, a senior birdwatcher with SPNI, observed the storks while traveling along Route 90. He stated, \"I noticed white storks lying dead beneath the utility poles.\" Bashan explained that the problem is recurring, as \"every year, dozens of stork carcasses are found in the area after being electrocuted to death.\" The Tovlan waste site attracts white storks during their annual migration, offering a temporary resting spot before continuing their journey or preparing for winter. The nearby utility poles pose a significant danger to the birds, as they provide perching points and a risk of electrocution when the storks land on or spread their wings on the poles. Bashan and Dr. Yoav Perlman, Director of SPNI's Birding Center, called the Tovlan waste site and adjacent compost site \"death traps\" for white storks and black kites. Over the past decade, these locations have caused numerous stork and kite deaths annually during migration seasons and winter. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) has partially addressed the issue by protecting some utility poles and burying others underground, but many poles remain unprotected. SPNI and the Jordan Valley Regional Council urge the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) and the regional council to \"act immediately\" and either protect or bury all power lines around the Tovlan waste site to prevent the area from remaining a \"death trap\" for migrating storks. Perlman emphasized that white storks, accounting for about half of the global population, face multiple threats during their migration, including hunting in neighboring countries and hazards from energy infrastructure. Israel has signed international conventions for migratory bird protection, and Perlman urged the state to fulfill its commitment and resolve this recurring problem.",
  "summary": "“The nearby utility poles serve as places for them to perch and rest,” Bashan said. “The danger is primarily created by poles with exposed electrical components.”",
  "key_points": [
    "Israeli birdwatcher Yotam Bashan discovers 30 dead white storks under Jordan Valley power poles",
    "White storks attracted to Tovlan waste site during annual migration",
    "SPNI and Jordan Valley Regional Council demand immediate action from Israel Electric Corporation"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Officials urge action as dozens of storks electrocuted on Jordan Valley power lines",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/officials-urge-action-as-dozens-of-storks-electrocuted-on-jordan",
        "published": "2026-08-17T10:33:13.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}